The railways were yet to ascertain the reason for nine coaches of Duronto express derailing on early Saturday near Kalaburgi in north Karnataka, an official said on Sunday.“We are yet to establish the cause of derailment, as its investigation is underway and engine driver is being interrogated by the safety commissioner,” Central Railway’s Solapur division Additional Manager K. Madhusudan told IANS.Two women passengers died and eight others were injured in the derailment of the speeding 12220 Dn Secunderabad-Mumbai express near Martur station between Wadi and Kalaburgi, about 630 km from Bengaluru,...more...

in the early hours.“Railway Safety Commissioner D.K. Singh visited the spot of the accident earlier in the day and inspected the track and the derailed coaches at the yard for investigation, based on material evidence collected at the site, including a portion of the broad gauge line that gave resulting in the derailment,” Madhusadan said.Singh will hold two-day public inquiry on September 15-16 at Kalaburgi into the accident and submit the probe report soon based on investigation, deposition by the public, including passengers who were onboard the train.Meanwhile, the zonal railway restored traffic on the high density trunk route after rescue and relief operations were carried out and the track was repaired.Preliminary investigation by the district police ruled out sabotage behind the incident.As a non-stop superfast express, the fully air-conditioned Duronto (12990) was passing through at 110 km speed when the derailment happened in the dark.The two victims were identified as Jyothi Shankar (46) and Pushpalatha Harish (26), travelling to Pune from Secunderabad.“Though first seven coaches from engine passed safely, nine coaches, including pantry car and generator car derailed while the remaining four coaches in the rear were stranded on track,” Madhusudan said.

The railways were yet to ascertain the reason for nine coaches of Duronto express derailing on early Saturday near Kalaburgi in north Karnataka, an official said on Sunday."We are yet to establish the cause of derailment, as its investigation is underway and engine driver is being interrogated by the safety commissioner," Central Railway's Solapur division Additional Manager K. Madhusudan told IANS.Two women passengers died and eight others were injured in the derailment of the speeding 12220 Dn Secunderabad-Mumbai express near Martur station between Wadi and Kalaburgi, about 630 km from Bengaluru,...more...

in the early hours."Railway Safety Commissioner D.K. Singh visited the spot of the accident earlier in the day and inspected the track and the derailed coaches at the yard for investigation, based on material evidence collected at the site, including a portion of the broad gauge line that gave resulting in the derailment," Madhusadan said.Singh will hold two-day public inquiry on September 15-16 at Kalaburgi into the accident and submit the probe report soon based on investigation, deposition by the public, including passengers who were onboard the train.Meanwhile, the zonal railway restored traffic on the high density trunk route after rescue and relief operations were carried out and the track was repaired.Preliminary investigation by the district police ruled out sabotage behind the incident.As a non-stop superfast express, the fully air-conditioned Duronto (12990) was passing through at 110 km speed when the derailment happened in the dark.The two victims were identified as Jyothi Shankar (46) and Pushpalatha Harish (26), travelling to Pune from Secunderabad."Though first seven coaches from engine passed safely, nine coaches, including pantry car and generator car derailed while the remaining four coaches in the rear were stranded on track," Madhusudan said

Two women passengers were killed and eight others injured when a speeding Duronto Express from Secunderabad proceeding towards Lok Manya Tilak terminus in Mumbai (Train No 12990) derailed at Martur Railway Station, 20 km away from Kalaburagi city in the early hours of Saturday.The victims have been identified as Jyothi Shankar (46), and Pushpalatha Harish (26), from Secunderabad.Of the eight persons injured, an Indian Navy personnel Abdul Ashraf Gaffar lost one of his legs in the accident. The injured have been identified as Manik Reddy (62), Yadamma Manik Reddy (55), Srikant...more...

Kashinath (24), Ramakrishna Subba Reddy (40), Rajeeev Ramachandra (30), Abdul Ashraf Gaffar (21), Lakshmi (50), Bhaskar B Narasing (45).According to the Railway authorities the Duroto Express, which was running at a speed of around 110 km per hour derailed seconds after passing the Martur Railway Station at 2.42 am. While the first seven coaches from the engine passed, the next eight coaches including the pantry car, HA1, A1, A2, A3, B7, B8, and B9 derailed and the remaining coaches in the back were safe.The worst affected was the B8 coach in which both the victims and the injured were travelling. The victims were part of the 22- member employees of the Rajdeep Associates in Secunderabad and were proceeding to Lonawala in Maharashtra on a three-day vacation. Preliminary investigation by the police ruled out any sabotage. Most of the passengers were in a dazed conditions and were unable to explain the details of the accident.Additional Divisional Railway manager of the Solapur Division of the Central Railways, Madhusudhan, who was among the first officers of the Railways to reach the spot around 4.00 am said all arrangements were being made for the onward journey of the stranded passengers and part of the unaffected Duronto Express would be allowed to travel to Mumbai with some of the passengers. The remaining passengers who wish to return to Secunderabad or proceed to Mumbai would be sent by other trains.HelplineHe said that the Railways have opened a helpline in Gulbarga, Solapur, Secunderabad and Mumbai Railway Stations. The helpline numbers are:Gulbarga 0847—2255066/2255067,Secunderabad 040—27700968,Solapur 0217—2313331,Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus 022—22694040,Lokmanya Tilak Terminus 022—25280005,Kalyan 0251—2311499.Railway Board Chairman A.K. Mittal, and General Manager of the Central Railways and other senior officials were likely to visit the spot later on Saturday.InquiryRailways Minister Suresh Prabhu said the ministry has ordered an inquiry into the incident. The inquiry will be conducted by Commissioner Railway Safety (Central circle) to ascertain the exact cause of derailment.Ex-gratia reliefRailways has also announced ex-gratia relief of Rs two lakh to the next of kin of those killed, Rs 50,000 to each of the grievously injured, and Rs 25,000 to those with simple injuries, Mr. Mittal said.“Rescue and relief operations are going on at the spot and medical teams have already reached and I am also rushing to the site to supervise,” Mr. Mittal said.Trains running lateThe Railway personnel repaired a portion of the damaged main line of the Martur Railway Station and restored the movement of traffic within three-and-a-half hours after the accident. No trains have been cancelled or diverted due to the accident. However, all the trains plying in the section were running late by more than four to five hours.